Paleo Pork Rinds (Chicharrones Recipe)

You know how they say you can't have just one potato chip? Well it turns out Paleo Pork Rinds are just as addictive but more nutrient dense. by Marla Sarris, updated November 6, 2016Posted on April 10, 2015

Marla Sarris is the founder of Paleo Porn, co-author of Pigskin Paleo, project manager at SPYR and Executive Producer of Minimalism. After tirelessly dedicating six years to teaching Mathematics at one of the top High Schools in the nation, she left her all-consuming career in pursuit of a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. She continues to indulge her passion for teaching through Paleo Porn.

Do you like that salty, crunchy goodness of a potato chip? Who doesn’t?! Unfortunately a good replacement tends to be lacking in a Paleo diet.

I promise you pork skin is delicious when cooked crisp and crunchy!

I was so excited to finally find pig skin (not to be confused with Pigskin) so I could make my own Paleo Pork Rinds! Also known as chicharrones.

Since When Are Fried Foods Healthy?

Normally, we agree with conventional wisdom that fried foods aren’t healthy. Not because they’re fatty, but because they’re usually fried in rancid vegetable oils.

By frying your own pork skin at home, you can use your favorite Paleo-approved fat to make sure you’re getting a healthy helping of stable, saturated fat.

Commercially-made fried food is almost always made with vegetable oils full of oxidized polyunsaturated fats, and you definitely want to avoid those.

What Exactly Are Pork Rinds?

If you’ve never heard of them, let me be the first to introduce you to this delicious Paleo snack!

As you know an animal is made up of more than just it’s muscle meat, which is what we’ll typically find served for dinner. Think: chicken breast, pork chops, steak, etc.

But there is so much more to these animals than muscle meat! We need to think about the whole animal, which is why you’ll see people talk about eating nose to tail.

As I mentioned earlier I was super excited to spot pig skin at Caputo’s because that is one of two to three ingredients you need to make pork rinds.

When you cook the skin in it’s own fat (lard) it pops up to the consistency of popcorn and gives the same crunch in your mouth with that airy, crunchy goodness.

Whenever I head to the grocery store I’m always on the look out for skin and other odd bits. Not only does it give me a chance to experiment in the kitchen and try something new, I get to introduce it to you. AND you’ll find that most odd bits and organ meats are not only the most nutrient dense but also cheap because not many people buy them.

Very Few Ingredients

Although the number of steps involved may seem intimidating, there is a lot of waiting in between. You’ll wait for it to boil until soft.

You’ll wait for it to dehydrate and you won’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen throughout the life of the recipe, until it comes time to fry them up.

A Homemade Snack That’s Worth The Effort

These three ingredients pack a hefty punch of healthy fats and mineral-rich sea salt, so you don’t have to feel guilty about chowing down on this crispy snack. If you’re looking to add some fat into your diet (for example, if you’re following a ketogenic diet), these Paleo Pork Rinds are just what you’re looking for.

Paleo Pork Rinds (Chicharrones)

Yield: More than 10oz

Ingredients

Directions

Put the pork skin in a large pot, cover with water but be sure that the water doesn't come to the top of the pot. Place over medium to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Be sure to weigh down the pork with something heavy so it stays submerged while boiling. I used a small plate topped with a bowl & then I put my 6" cast-iron skillet on top of that (see video above).

Let the skin boil until it's soft and pliable, but not yet falling apart. This can take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 hours and be sure to add more water when you see it getting low.

Remove the skin using a slotted spoon and discard the water. Be careful when removing each piece because they may fall apart since they're so tender. Place each piece on a drying rack resting over a baking sheet. Be sure there are no pieces folded over or touching each other, otherwise they will dry like that. Transfer the trays to the fridge, uncovered and cool until completely done, minimum 2 hours.

Once the skin is cold transfer all pieces to a dehydrator set to 160°F and allow the skin to dehydrate over night, or until dry and brittle, minimum 8 hours.

Once your skin is dry you can let it sit in this state until you're prepared to fry them. (For me they sat uncovered in a bowl on the counter for a week before I had time to come back and finish them).

Before frying, snap the skin into small pieces, around 1-inch in size.

Add around 10oz of lard to a deep pot over medium heat and allow to melt. This should be about 3-4 inches high in the pan.

Once the lard is melted and hot, add one piece of skin and see how long it takes to puff up and crisp. It should only take 10-15 seconds. If it takes longer gradually increase the heat and add a couple more pieces. Beware of splatter!

Add 3-6 pieces at a time to the pot (do not overcrowd!) and transfer to a paper towel lined plate once each piece has puffed up completely. As you transfer each piece to the plate be sure to sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. The pork rinds should be seasoned immediately otherwise the salt (or your choice of seasoning) won't stick. Continue with this process and once you find a rhythm it becomes quite simple. Be sure to add more lard or bacon fat to the pan when it gets low. Continue frying, transferring and seasoning until all your skin is gone. (This is a great project to have helping hands nearby! I had Jeff do all the salting while I fried the skin. Just be sure to cook them faster than your helper can eat them, otherwise you won't have any left!) Feel free to get creative and choose your favorite seasoning aside from sea salt.

Serve immediately or allow to cool to room temperature. While pork rinds are cooling on the paper towel lined plate, they may continue to pop (just so you know).

Transfer leftovers to a container and store in the closet (or fridge if you like them cold), if you have any left after cooking. As you can tell from the serving size, I'm not exactly sure how much this produces since we were munching while making them, 10oz is what we had left.

Enjoy! :)

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Marla Sarris is the founder of Paleo Porn, co-author of Pigskin Paleo, project manager at SPYR and Executive Producer of Minimalism. After tirelessly dedicating six years to teaching Mathematics at one of the top High Schools in the nation, she left her all-consuming career in pursuit of a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. She continues to indulge her passion for teaching through Paleo Porn.

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